Eureka!
THE COUNTRY SCHOOL LITERARY MAGAZINE June 2020
Welcome to the 2020 issue of Eureka!, the Country School literary magazine. The Country School has had a literary magazine since 1956, when the publication known as The Owl was first printed on mimeographed paper, with a construction paper cover. It contained poetry, essays, and artwork by students and an introduction from the school’s first Headmaster, David MacLane. Over time, the name was changed to Eureka!, in homage to Archimedes, the Country School owl mascot. The original Archimedes (at right) was the Greek mathematician and inventor credited with exclaiming, “Eureka! Eureka!” – meaning “I’ve found it! I’ve found it!” – when he discovered the water displacement theory after stepping into a bathtub and noticing the water level rise. We are grateful to everyone who submitted writing and/or artwork for this year’s publication. Traditionally, this magazine is compiled and designed by Middle School students, working with an advisor, and teachers usually collect and share material with the literary magazine committee. This year, because of COVID-19, the Eureka! team was unable to come together to lay out the publication and/or sort through submissions. For the most part, students submitted their own work and the magazine is being laid out to function in an online format, given that we can’t gather to distribute it in person. That also means that we can continue to add and update work as it is submitted. Over the summer, kindly email submissions to alumni@thecountryschool.org. Please note that, except for the 5th Grade writing on ancient Egypt, we have elected to publish one piece of submitted writing per student, though we have enjoyed reading many more and may hold them for future use. Thank you to everyone who kept their creative juices flowing during distance learning this spring. Please keep writing and creating this summer!
On the cover, painting by Cade R., 5th Grade.
Sit Down and Write a Poem of Nature by Simone N., 2nd Grade Poem written on Earth Day 2020 Surrounded by ivy-covered rocks, you begin, with the first line of your poem. Moss creeps up the hillside, home to many birds. You listen to their song, as inspiration for your work of art. You take the pattern of the blossoms and spread them across the page in words. You describe how the branches of the trees are reaching into the sky to touch the silver, velvety soft clouds. You watch as the sun stretches down to cradle the flowers in his rays. You scribble that down as fast as the grass spreads across the ground and into the air. You jot the grass down on your pad, too. You look at the leaves from last Autumn scattered all over the floor of the thicket. You keep writing unknown words to tell the future readers of your poem of the leaves that once grew on trees. Sticks down below you crackle, as if you were walking on them. You twist your head back to see a squirrel, tramping over the little twigs and fallen branches, hearing the twigs snap and the branches crunch underneath him. Your pen tells that to the pages of your notebook. A hollow home in a tree, it seems, is good enough for a chipmunk, which wraps its tail around itself for company. The way it stores its sweet, buttery nuts inspires you. You vigorously write and stop. Write and stop. Write, and stop. Write and, stop. Write,… and, stop. Write…and…stop. You stop for good and sit. You sit until the wind sweeps you up, leaving your poem behind.
Painting by Ksenia P., 5th Grade
Your pen finds a new home in a bush and just stays there as you go over and farther and farther away from prickers and thorn bushes and all your troubles. The wind carries you, looking for a new place, where a new poem awaits, with a new surrounding, with a new, fresh, clean slate, in the wilderness.
Painting set by Izzy S., 8th Grade.
COVID – Letter to a Future Generation
by Nadia G., 7th Grade Life has been very interesting these past years, so I am writing about it to share someday. It started in 2019 and before Coronavirus, I did normal things. I went to the store, I went to school, I traveled, and I played sports. It was normal to go somewhere and not have protective gear on. But in January 2020, all of that changed. All of the places that I went with family and friends are shut down, closed, gone. Many kids and adults haven't been out in the sorrowful world in weeks. Many rules have changed. I never thought this far away storm of illness would wipe my life away like a tornado. The closest I have been to being somewhere new is the car. I don't think that anyone on the planet thought that life would ever come down to stay at your house. It is unimaginable. 2022 Doctors have been studying this disease for two years now and it comes back every winter, but there is never enough medicine to go around. But you will never believe what happened. During this pandemic, scientists at NASA were looking into Mars and found a big area on Mars the size of Asia that had water and ordinary dirt. It was too good to be real, but it was. It was decided that to stop the spread of the returning virus they would send as many healthy people as they could to Mars. Isn’t that crazy? The next week my family got a letter in the mail: Dear Mr. & Mrs. Goodman, As you have probably seen on the news, we will be sending as many families as we can to Mars. We have noticed how quickly this virus spread and would like to keep as many families safe as possible. Below, we have given you ten slots. You may insert ten names that you would like to take with you. Family and friends are welcome. For you to move to Mars, you must send this letter in one week for your party to be considered. If you wish to remain in your home, please do not reply in the given time. Thank you, and we hope this opportunity works for you and your group. Sincerely, NASA My family added five more people to our list and packed everything that was important. Leaving to Mars was the busiest and scariest day for a 15 year old me. We left Earth at 2:00 am from Florida. We took off and the lights immediately flickered out. It was total chaos. The craft slowed in the darkness. The stars were tremendous compared to the small blue Earth. The planet that I lived on was smaller than the extra bolt that was lying on the grimy metal floor. Mars was the most deserted place I had ever seen. There were houses lined up against the red dirt, waiting to be used. The wildlife around our home was nonexistent. It was almost as if the same tornado came and wiped all the life off this planet billions of years ago. My white shoes quickly turned red as I walked on the messy substance. I think of all of the people left behind on that small blue planet millions of miles away. I think of all the people that live here on this red dusty planet with me. 2060 It is many years after this fiasco and we are back home on Earth, but there are many lessons to be learned. One important lesson is to always take action. Our world waited until the last minute and let the virus spread until it was too late. We ran out of protective equipment, hospital beds and any other medical gear that was needed to fight this virus. Never wait for something to happen before you fix it. Always think of a way to fix it before it is a problem.
Self-portrait this spring, by Phoebe M., PreSchool.
My Art Poem
by Julia S., 6th Grade The warm sunlight flashes me like fire, beneath the core of the Earth's structure; And I start to picture the Earth's Layers coming out of me. I see so many colors! I can see red, orange, yellow Coming out of my ears I'm angry. No! Now I see Blue, yellow, green, I picture my brain as if it was the earth itself. I now hear myself screaming as loud as the different waves in the ocean clash together. At this next moment I think I can hear the universe start to call my body into action, its voice so loud it harnesses the wind. I now smell the roses' bountiful scent which guides me back into my daydream.
Emily P., 1st Grade, collage made for Earth Day “Take Action, join Nature Club. Earth Day Everyday!”
The Realization A short story by Olafur S., 5th Grade It was a Friday night. I had just eaten dinner and was having my favorite dessert, Icelandic pancakes. If it was a normal night, I would go upstairs, take a shower, and hit the hay. But this was no normal night. After dessert, my brother Phin and I were to grab our sleeping bags and head out to the giant, mossy rock in the middle of a huge field, which we dubbed “Shupi.” After some intense debating about whether to go on this night, we finally said “goodbye” to our parents, grabbed an extra bag of M&M’s, and headed out to our campsite. What was going to happen next was sure to change my feelings about camping. After laying out our sleeping bags and soft, black pads, we proceeded to gather kindling to start a fire. our fire. We built a fire pit and got going on the fire itself. My brother controlled most of this part because he was more experienced. Our blazing fire soon was provided much needed warmth, we sat around it for a bit and talked, savoring our M&M’s. Eventually, our eyelids drooped, and we almost zonked out on the rock itself. We decided it was time to retire for the night. Readjusting our sleeping bags, we tried to fall asleep. It didn’t work. I tossed and turned, writhing and wriggling until I finally tired myself out. Phin and I finally turned to each other and talked for a little while more, until Phin said he was tired. We settled down, and this time, I slept peacefully for more than two hours. That’s when I felt something like little meteors hitting me in the face. At first, I couldn’t figure out what it was. I was still in a dazed state, having woken up only minutes earlier. I turned over in my sleeping bag and saw my pillow was soaking wet and resembled a soggy sandwich. I was not wet, due to the fact that Phin and I had put a tarp over our sleeping bags in the event that it might rain. Unfortunately, we had not realized that it was going to be a storm. The wind began to gust. The rain began to soak everything that was in the open. I felt helpless against the unexpected forces of nature. My hair was soaking. My glasses were foggy. Worst of all, my M&M’s had dissolved and stained my paints. I didn’t think we could last the rest of the night like this. And neither did Phin. “O, I think it’s time to go back to the house,” Phin yelled without hesitation.
“I don’t think we should. We’re going to wake up the dogs as soon as we open the porch door. You know how loud the door can be.” I responded, thinking how we could possibly get into the house without waking anyone up. All of the other doors are just as disturbing. “Well, we can put our sleeping bags in the garden barn, which is where we were supposed to put them in the first place,” directed Phin. “Ok, ok,” I agreed, realizing the idea wasn’t a bad one and knew we had out of this wet world and off this God-forsaken rock. “And we can open the porch door as slowly as we want,” I recommended. “It’s a plan,” my brother responded. We picked up all our gear and started trudging back across the field to the garden barn, which was about 20 yards away from our house. Phin unlocked the barn door, and we immediately laid down our sleeping bags and pads. We spread them out, so that they would dry easily, then walked out. We cautiously approached our house and slowly opened the first porch door. A sound like sucking wind made us freeze in place. “Ok, be quiet, we don’t want to wake anyone up,” Phin whispered. We got to the second porch door and Phin took over. He put his hand on the handle and started to turn it, at a snail’s pace. After a painful wait to open the door, we got through. PHEW! At this point, it was 3:15 in the morning. I was ready to go to bed. That’s all I could think about. Bed. I trudged up the stairs complaining how tired I was to myself and my brother, and thought why we had bothered to go to Shupi in the first place. I got upstairs, brushed my teeth again, and climbed into bed, cranky, expecting to fall asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow. It didn’t happen. I began to reflect on what we had just experienced- the stars in inky sky, the wind blowing in our ears, and the sounds of nature; our chickens, the peacocks, the coyotes and unfortunately, the rain that interrupted our slumber. What especially ran through my head was my brother and me talking and laughing. I realized that staying at home all the time was anything but normal. If it was a regular month, I would be going right to bed on a Friday night, not sleeping outside on a giant rock. Drifting off to sleep, I smiled.
James on a bike. Self portrait this spring by James G., PreSchool.
Origami by Ruby S., 5th Grade.
Rain by John R., 8th Grade Falling, Changing. Sliding down leaves, Drops meet with the ground, Continue the path. Think of what has happened. What has yet to happen We worry about Too much, or too little. Where this journey leads, Who will be On the other side? We will not be the same. Treading our way, A brief smile Lasts forever in memory. We miss what was, What could have been. How can you miss what Hasn’t happened yet? We know. It is Difficult, A stone blocking the flow Of the rain. We try To remember What we could have done.
Zoom Buddies
Artwork, Pansy, by Andrew W., PreK. An acrostic poem written this spring by Spring “Zoom Buddies,” Cameron S., 1st Grade, and Meghan B., 7th Grade Zoos are fun: Otters are cute Owls are cool Monkeys are good at swinging Bananas are for the monkeys Unicorn’s can fly Dogs bark a lot Deer are good at hunting Iguana’s are like lizards Elephants are big Snakes can shed their skin.
Missing campus. Drawing this spring by Evelyn R., 6th Grade.
It is me
by Meghan B., 7th Grade I look in a mirror I see a fierce and brave girl Who is funny and smart It is me I look in a mirror I see an adventurous twelve year old Who has a freckled nose and a pony tail It is me I look in a mirror I see a fast runner, athletic Who throws strikes in softball It is me I look in a mirror I see a crazy girl who eats pasta Who loves cuddling her cats It is me I look in a mirror I see a person who likes pandas Who plays flute in band It is me I look in a mirror I see a future scientist who conducts experiments I see a future lawyer who loves to investigate It is me I look in a mirror I see an owl I am a TCS owl I am Meghan It is me
Artwork by Ksenia P., 5th Grade.
Painting by Nadia G., 7th Grade.
Letter to a Future Generation by Rosie L., 7th Grade
March 30th, 2020 Dear Future Grandchildren, Life during the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) is very different from before. I used to wake up every day at 6:30 and drive to school at 7:15 am, and many days I wouldn’t get home until 6pm. Now, I stay in the house almost all day, except for when I go outside for recess and after school. In fact, I don’t think I’ve even been off our property for a week and a half. That’s how serious social distancing is. You might be wondering how I do school if I never actually go to school. Our school is one of many, many schools that are doing “distance learning”. For my school, this means Zoom. Zoom is a video conferencing tool that allows you to see multiple people at a time. I personally do not like Zoom, but many of the teachers do, so I end up having about 5 or 6 Zoom meetings a day. I prefer using Google Classroom, a website that lets teachers post assignments online, and then lets the students post their completed work. One thing I like about distance learning is waking up later. With this new schedule, I am waking up an hour later than I normally would. Distance learning has its benefits. My parents, your great-grandparents, stocked up on food at our house. The other day, they went to a bunch of grocery stores and brought home a ton of food. My dad even bought 80 pounds of chicken! We stocked up because we do not want to go to a grocery store for a long, long time. When my mom was going to the grocery store, she was going to take a picture of how empty it was, but she didn’t because she didn’t want to touch her phone. This virus spreads easily and quickly, and the less stuff we touch, the better. I know that many bad things are happening in the world currently, but many great things are happening as well. For instance, I am spending so much more time with my family. My brother, sister, and I play together every day outside for at least an hour, usually more. My family and I play board games and card games a lot. We are currently obsessed with pinochle. And being quarantined is making a good impact on the world too. The global carbon footprint has gone down. People in major cities around the world can see blue sky where it used to be covered in a gray haze. Many people are donating money and supplies to hospitals, homeless people, unemployed people, and others. So coronavirus isn’t entirely horrible. I wonder if in the future, coronavirus will still exist. I hope it doesn’t. Doctors are working on a vaccine right now, but if it still does, I wonder if you are having the same struggles, the same joys, and same experiences as I am. Of course, everyone’s quarantine is probably different, but it’s good to know that we’re all in this together. Your Future Grandmother, Rosie
Self-portrait by Marc, PreSchool.
Hope by Chloe N., 5th Grade
Diseased by Chloe N., 5th Grade.
Painting by Michaela T., 7th Grade
Vase of Greece by Ksenia P., 5th Grade.
Fifth Grade Biographical Pharaoh Poems: Who Built the Egyptian Empire? A collection of poems dedicated to the Egyptian rulers of the New Kingdom After selecting an Egyptian pharaoh or queen from the New Kingdom of Egypt, 5th Graders researched the life of each ruler. Then, modeled after the book Voices of Ancient Egypt, they incorporated each royal’s life facts into poetic form. These poems are accompanied by artwork inspired by their exploration of Ancient Egypt. Each year, as a culmination of their multi-month, in-depth study, 5th Graders travel to New York City to visit the Egyptian Wing at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. This year, thanks to circumstances beyond anyone’s control, the field trip was virtual. As part of their art class, students made art inspired by that “trip.” From the assignment by art teacher Amy Peters: In honor of your virtual trip to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, we are focusing on their beloved Egyptian hippo mascot, William. He is described on the museum’s label as ‘Hippopotamus with Lotus Flowers, Buds and Leaves, XII. Dynasty (about 1950 B.C.), Series VII., Number 1, Egyptian Faience.’ But the world knows him simply as William. This 4,000-year-old hippo is made from Faience paste, a ceramic glaze process that results in a beautiful bluegreen color. The glaze is made of a combination of things, including sand and quartz pebbles. William came to the Met in 1917 (after being excavated in 1910). Your assignment this week is to make your own version of William. You could make a three-dimensional version using clay (you can make your own bakeable salt dough at home with just flour, water, and salt) or papier mache. Or, make a drawing or collage of William. Or, come up with another way to represent William. Perhaps, a William whittled out of wood? Or, created with wire? I can’t wait to see what you create.
Cleopatra by Elizabeth R. When my father, Ptolemy XII, dies he passes the throne down to Ptolemy XIII (my brother) and me, when I am 18. Overthrowing my brother (with Julius Caesar’s help), I become the main ruler of Egypt. I have a child named Caesarion, meaning little Caesar, after a romantic relationship with Caesar. To protect my power, I later kill my other brother and sister. After Caesar's death, Mark Antony (a Roman leader/general) captures my attention, and we marry. I believe that Caesarion Julius Caesar’s heir, even though Rome believes Caesar's other son actually is. I fight and lose the Battle of Actium with Mark Antony and get pushed back into Egypt. Antony kills himself after hearing false rumors of my death. I end my life by allowing a poisonous asp to bite me when I hear of my beloved’s death. Ruling from 51 to 30 B.C., I remain, intelligent, ruthless and inspiring Cleopatra VII, the last ruler of the Ptolemy dynasty and the Egyptian Empire.
William by Alexander S.
Akhenaten by Michael D. Akhenaten, the heretic, an Egyptian Pharaoh Originally named Amenhotep IV Who ruled during the 18th dynasty Father of King Tut Husband to Queen Nefertiti He was famous for changing the traditional religion From worship of many gods to worship of a single god named Aten, the Sun God Discovered in 1907 in the Valley of the Kings Mummy KV55 was found Also known as Akhenaten.
William by Braden R.
Hatshepsut by Gabriella R. Not much is known about me, Hatshepsut, daughter of Thutmose I and Ahmose. The peace I bestowed as a ruler and My legacy failed to be erased by my nephew and stepson Thutmose III, is eternal due to the lasting gifts I gave to Egypt. Thanks to me, I sent merchants to Nubia and Punt for Ostrich plumes, leopard skins, frankincense and myrrh. I also am responsible for large building projects in Egypt Like the Temple at Deir el Bahri, my mortuary temple I did not let my nephew stop me from achieving my goals, I sent him to live with the priests when he was supposed to be pharaoh at 6 six years old. He would have been too young and naive to rule. Allowing me to reign for 15 years during the 18th Dynasty Before Thutmose II, my husband and half-brother, died, We had a daughter, Neferure, and no boys Leaving Thutmose III the heir-apparent to the throne That is why he sought for revenge to remove me from history. I am Hatshepsut, the greatest first women ruler of Egypt!
William by Austin H.
The Napoleon of Egypt by Olafur S. My name is Thutmose III, but historians call me Thutmose the Conqueror or the Napoleon of Egypt. I dutifully ruled over my people from 1458-1425 B.C.E. My father, Thutmose II, died when I was only 2 years old. Ruling would be hard for me at 3 years old, So my regent, Hatshepsut, who was my stepmother, took over the throne for me, Sending me off to live with priests while she slowly and slyly became pharaoh. When I finally became old enough to rule, at the ripe age of 18, I headed back to Egypt to finally face Hatshepsut and claim the throne for myself. We ruled together for a few years until I finally shoved her and her followers out of Egypt, And out of power. When I became pharaoh, I decided to conquer the Near East as well as Syria. Nubia and to the Euphrates were easy to conquer, Egypt is omnipotent! I was so consistent, I never lost a battle. But even though I was the best military hero ever, I needed another commander. I appointed my son, Amenhotep to be my faithful junior-regent. Nations we were tired of trading with, We conquered. Nations we didn’t like, We conquered. Unlimited gold, turquoise, copper! Conquering did not mean torture and mistreatment. I was always affable to the people I ruled over. When it was finally time for me to leave the Earth and become immortal, I drifted into an endless sleep in which my bed was my tomb in KV34, Valley of the Kings. That bed is where I would rest for For My Three Thousand Years. I am the great Napoleon of Egypt, Thutmose III!
William by Elizabeth R.
Alexander the Great by Nicolaas S. Yes I was that, Great. My name is Alexander the Great I got my first taste of ruling at 16, when my father, King Philip II, left our home country, Macedonia, to fight in battle and left me as the regent. I am supposedly related to the Greek heroes Hercules on my dad’s side and Achilles on mom’s. Bucephalus was my amazing horse. Who Upon I Rode Into Every Battle Fought And William by Ksenia P. I never lost One battle. I conquered Egypt, driving the Persians out and Egypt hailed me as a hero making me their king. I have many accomplishments but one of my biggest is my conquest of the Achaemenid Empire The Most immense empire, the Persians, in ancient history. I also started the Building of Alexandria in Egypt My reign was 13 years from 336 to 323 B.C.E During which I reaffirmed Macedonian rule as king. Between my death and burial, I was put in a vat of honey to preserve me Until being placed in my final resting place in ancient Amphipolis, 370 miles north of Athens, Greece. My name was Alexander the Great.
Thutmose IV by Keenan B. Thutmose, the Greatest Pharaoh of All, his royal name was Menkheperu Thutmose IV was his throne name He led Egypt for 10 great years He was the mighty eighth Pharaoh of the 18th dynasty! His parents are were Amenhotep II and Tiaa He built over 50 temples and monuments and restored the sphinx in Giza! Most famed for the “Dream Stele” (The beautiful “Dream Stele”) that tells the tales of how he ruled the dream seal located right between the paws of the Sphinx! This mighty pharaoh is buried in KV 43 in the famous Valley of the Kings in Thebes His ten great years impacted Egypt to be a stronger country.
Thutmose the Utmost by Emily D. I was born in the year 1554 B.C. My parents were Senseneb and Amenhotep I Then when my father passed, I became the ruler of Egypt from 1506-1493 B.C. For I was the third pharaoh of the 18th dynasty! I was a very creative pharaoh, Renovating the native Temple of Karnak! Not only that, but I expanded Egypt into Nubia! My daughter was the famous Hatshepsut, The first female ruler of our land! My people know me as adroit, They always claimed I was clever and resourceful. I even was the first pharaoh to have my tomb built-in The Valley of the Kings! Sadly, I died in the year 1493 B.C, But I was ready for the best time of my lifethe afterlife. I was buried in KV38, Valley of the Kings. I know I will always be remembered as Thutmose I, I know Ra will always shine upon me.
William by Ruby S.
Seti by Whitman L. I am Seti. I was as powerful as a snake. I was as strong as the Pyramids. I was king. I was the person that did important things. I ruled Egypt in the 19th dynasty. I was born in 1323 B.C. Some thought me as the one who could be staunch and severe but love others dearly. I was sometimes called the most handsome Pharaoh. My wife, Tuya, gave birth to Ramses II in 1304. My son was Ramses the Great. I died in 1279 B.C. I was buried in the Valley of Kings And my tomb marking was KV-17. My tomb was the largest and most extravagant of all sepulchers in the Valley of the Kings. I will be remembered for my great building projects. I was as powerful as a snake. I was as strong as the Pyramids. I was king.
Horemheb by Braden C. I’m at the very tip of the pyramid I'm the pharaoh Horemheb the last pharaoh of the 18th dynasty I ruled for 14 years. My parentage is not known but I had a common birth, I got moved to the top of the army And became Chief Commander, a general. When the young pharaoh King Tutankhumun passed away I got to take his spot since I was very loyal to the king I destroyed all of his remains and made them my own. I died In 1292 B.C Buried in the Valley of the Kings tomb number KV57.
Great is the Form of Re: Thutmose II by Alexander S. I inherit the throne at 12 after my father, Thutmose I, dies. Ruling for 14 years from 1493 B.C.E. to 1479 B.C.E., I did not live long enough to fully finish my job of being pharaoh. But I follow my father’s footsteps to become a great army commander, conqueror, and warrior. I marry my sister, Hatshepsut, and have two children, Neferure and my heir to the throne, Thutmose III, who will become a great warrior, a military leader who will be known throughout time I dispatch forces to suppress a revolt in Nubia against my garrisons stationed there. With my powerful army, I will make foreign countries fear the power of Egypt. I send forces to southern Palestine against some Bedouins. I erect a festival court in front of the entrance pylon of The Temple of Karnak, I adorn the court with royal monuments. I build a small temple called Shespet-ankh, which my son later enlarges. At only age 31, my life begins to die out. I am placed in the Royal Cache of mummies in Deir-el-Bahri to begin my journey to the afterlife, And my wife, Hatshepsut, becomes pharaoh, the first female pharaoh of Egypt. After my son, Thutmose III, takes the throne, he will finish what I have started For I am Thutmose II.
Tutankhamun by Cade R. When growing up, Akhenaten, my father was a ruler of the eighteenth dynasty, he was a fierce and rebellious pharaoh who changed the religion in Egypt to monotheism the worship of Aten And living up to his legacy was hard with such a short life. When my father passed, I inherited the throne. When I was only nine at the time. I ruled from 1333 B.C to 1324 B.C., for only 9 years. Even though that does not sound like a lot of time, I made use of it before I died. When I was pharaoh of Egypt, I want to make sure I restored ancient religion and art before I died. I changed our religion back to polytheism and repaired many temples. The name I grew up with, just did not fit So when old enough I changed it from Tutankhaten to Tutankhamun. The way I died was not known by historians for some time Some thought I was murdered, others thought it was due to an infection. Sadly, I was only 19 and did not have a son to take my place. My burial site is the Valley of the Kings My tomb number is KV61. My fame is because of my tomb. Discovered by Howard Carter brimming with treasures! The only tomb not robbed. I died In 1292 B.C Buried in the Valley of the Kings tomb number KV57.
Queen Tiye by Chloe N. Lady Of Two Lands; Upper and Lower Egypt Hereditary Princess Buried In The Valley of The Kings (Because they couldn’t bear to call it “Valley Of The Queens”) Wife Of The Great King, Amenhotep III Died at age sixty Rests in the wide valley for her eternal life.
Cleopatra by Chloe N. Cunning as a cat Lautitious Elite servants prostate at her feet Omnipotent as the gods Prosperous Ambitious Tenacious Rebellious A ruler acumen
A Beautiful Woman Has Come: Nefertiti by Ksenia P. I am the Great Royal Wife of Akhenaten. And I am the only person from the court that he can trust. I stand proudly and exquisite by his side Because we are living, human gods. Akhenaten and I are known for a religious revolution. We changed the belief from many deities to only Aten, the sun god. And we built a capital called “The Horizon of Aten” in Amarna. I am more powerful than previous queens, And considered the most beautiful woman in Egypt in the 14th century B.C. I was raised to a higher position than any other queen in Egyptian history. Akhenaten positioned me next to him whenever he could, I am trustworthy, affluent, and loyal. I am more than just a pretty face. Sometimes I was am pictured with a the crown of a pharaoh. If I was crowned, it was because King Tutankhamen was too young to rule. I mysteriously disappeared in twelve years. The cause of my disappearance is unknown. When King Tut, my step-son took the throne, He changed the religion Akhenaten and I create, monotheism, back to believing in in many deities, And sadly he was successful. I am the Queen of the 18h dynasty. I am Neferneferuaten Nefertiti.
The Queen of Egypt by Ruby S. I am the co-leader. It is true, me the beauty of Egypt. I married a man at age fifteen. They call me a fertility goddess. I am the most powerful woman in my time. Lady of all women they call me, but my mother called me Nefertiti. Akhenaten is my headstrong husband, He thought I was the one for him. When the sculptor came to shape a bust of my face of beauty, I was number one. Mutbenret was jealous of my power. She was my only sister. I killed my foes from my golden chariot on the way to the city I built, Amarna was the name. I fought on the battlefield with the men. Though my name means woman of beauty, I can still have an exciting life. After my husband fell into an internal sleep, I took the name of pharaoh. I changed my name to fit a man. I am the one who rules over all. I have rights I never had before that are glorious to own. People stare at me for believing in one god who I called Aten. I visit the temple made for me and look for people. When darkness comes to bring me to the afterlife, no one knows what happened. I was buried in the Valley of the Kings. I am truly a pharaoh though I am a woman. Eternal life is given to me as I sit on a throne with my husband and the pharaohs before. Who Built the Egyptian Empire? Thutmose I by Austin H. I rest peacefully in the Valley of the Kings But once I was a warrior and ruler of ancient Egypt. I fought many battles, Conquering Nubia and killing the Nubian King Fear me in battle! For I hung the body of the Nubian king at the front of my ship And Nubia became part of Egypt because of my reign Syria too became part of my empire Admire my building accomplishments! In my reign I built many temples My greatest projects were expanding the Temple of Karnak And I was the first king known to have built my tomb in the Valley of the Kings. When I died I was buried in the site known as KV20 And then reburied in KV38 in a more magnificent tomb built for me by my grandson. I am surrounded by my beautiful family, My daughter Hatshepsut and sons Thutmose II and Amenmose I am King Thutmose I, pharaoh of Egypt Successor to Amenhotep I Reigning from 1506 to 1493 B.C. Remember me, the third pharaoh of the 18th dynasty.
Cleopatra by Rosie L. I, Cleopatra, claimed to be the reincarnation of the Egyptian goddess Isis. When my father Pharaoh Ptolemy XII died, He left the throne to both my younger brother and me. I was 18 when I married my 10 year old brother, and we were to rule Egypt together. But because I was much older, I quickly took control as the main ruler of Egypt. When my brother Ptolemy XIII grew older He demanded more power! Eventually he forced ME from OUR PLACE and took over as the Pharaoh OF EGYPT. When Julius Caesar arrived in Egypt. I snuck back into the palace by hiding inside a Rolled up in a carpet. I met with Caesar and finally convinced him to help me win back the throne of Egypt. Despite my romance with Caesar, I wanted Egypt to remain independent of Rome. After Caesar's death, I fell in love with Marc Antony. When Antony heard the false news that I had died, Antony killed himself. When I heard that Antony was dead I became very sad and I killed myself by allowing a poisonous cobra to bite me. I sleep as the last pharaoh of Ancient Egypt.
For additional creative writing by members of the 8th Grade class this school year, read Searching for Lettuce, a book of poetry, fiction, and song lyrics inspired by their research into the history of enslavement in Madison, Connecticut. Working with the Witness Stones Project, members of the Class of 2020 set out to restore the history and honor the humanity of an enslaved woman named Lettuce Bailey who lived, worked, and died in Madison.